Safe construction



A. L, SMITH 1,812,991

`luly 7, 1931.

SAFE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 29, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l ANN Hw' 11W zmz' r @ww/nto@ July 7, 1931. A, l.. SMITH 1,812,991

SAFE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug.. 29, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheetr 2 WWII 15 i@ 'firs attoznu Patented July 7, 1931 STATES PATENT GFFICE AnoN L. SMITH, or ROCKY RIVER,

for rig. e;

Y v VMANUFA()'BU-RING COMPANY, 0F

o'H'Io, AssIefNoR` 'ro THE GUARDIAN SAFE AND ALLIANCE, oHIo, A CORPORATION or oHIo SAFE CONSTRUCTION i vApplication'filed August 29, 19128. SerialNo. 302,700.

Itis an object of this invention to provide a safe that shall-be proof against opening without the use of the lock mechanism, 'either by a vcombination or suitable key. `The same is attained-by the provision of suitable'mounting for the locking bolts whereby such mechanism is blown 0E from the door when` a charge of explosives is fired Within thefdoor and-*outside of such mechanism. The force of the explosive will therefore, force the mechanism inwardlytowards the center ofthe receptacle such as a safe. Y f The object-of this invention is to lessen the risk of safe breaking, and is attained by mounting the several links detachable upon the lock bolts, so that saidlinks will be easily detached by van vexplosiva/'a thin metal plate being secured over the' inner surface of the door to normally hold the links in operative position. These and other objectsand details ofi the invention will bemore fully described in the following specification, set forth in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which fFigure 1 is a face view of the'safe door shown in its closed position; A

'Figure 2 is la v'central transverse section Lin a' plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1

Figure 3' is a.' section taken in the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is asection taken in the line 4-4 FiUure is a Ytransverse-section on the line 5-5 of Figj3;

' Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views showing the upper and lower faces, respectively, of the bolt actuating disc;

Figure 8 is a perspective View of one of the actuating links;

Figure 9 is a detail view of one of the lockingvpins, and

Figure 10 is a perspective view of one of the 'locking bolts.

rThe wall of the receptacle is shown as pro` vided with a safe' door 10 'which includes therein the door cone 11 designedvto normally fit within the cone opening 12 ofthe VWall *of the receptacle and the door is mounted upon *the receptacle'by means of a metal rim 13 having ears 14 extending in parallelism for Theinner'ends of the engagement with ears 15 upon the receptacle frame. Such'receptacle may be a 'vault or other form of safe. Within the door is provided the conventional cavity of cylindrical form '16. The door carries a series of locking bolts 17 which, when the door is closed engage the receptacle walls, and a lock shaft 18 pierces the door and is positioned eccentrically of the door, the outer end of the shaft being provided with the usual handle 19.

The shaft 18 is provided with spaced' shaft rims 20 which retain the shaft upon the door, one of them being integral with the shaft and the other screw-threaded thereon. The innerend 21 of the shaft has slightly flattened faces, is reduced in size and is threa'ded'to receive thereon in rotatable relation a suitable nut 22 and above thelatter an actuating disc 23 having a squared, centralvopenin 24 .to receive the end of the shaft non-rotataly The locking device 25 is more or less conventional, it having combination lock and including means for thrusting a small bolt forward into the throw of the locking disc by the lock shaft 26, there being the usual combination dial 27 attached thereto on the outer face of the door.

When the door is closed, the locking bolts 17 engage suitable sockets in the receptacle walls, the bolts being provided with oblique outer ends A28 in the conventional manner. bolts are also provided with flattened surfaces 29 in a plane parallel with the face of the door, and are further provided .with cross openings 30 in each at right angles to such surface to receive therein pins 31 loosely for connection with a series of links 32, one in each, but permitting removal of said links from the bolts toward the center of the' safe by withdrawal of the pins from said openings;

The inner edge of the door 10 about the.

pins willV lock the said bolts'against outward thrust or withdrawal, 'as will be hereinafter explained.

On the outer surface of the disc 23 are provided'locking pins 36 so arranged that the rotationof the discvwill cause them to, en-

counter the looking bolt 37, if the latter is design `of the links that they shall be readily disc and the bolts.-

' the action of thesprings,

thrust outward from the lock 25,-as by manipulating the combination. On the inner surface ofthe door, is provided a thin sheet steelcover '40 for the cavity 16, uponwhiich the connection of the disc with the bolts v17 solely depends, since there is provided no 'other positive means for retaining the links in posi'- tion. rlhe inner surface of the disc 23 is provided with upstandingpins 38 adapted.y to

receive the sev'eral links in apertures 39. The

rotation of the "'disc will therefore aotuate the bolts when the links are connected with the pins 38 and by means ofthe pins 31, Itis the detachable from both-the v In ordinaryoperation, the bolts 17 will be withdrawn from their sockets in the wall of d; the safe, by theaetuation of the links 32 through the operation of the disc '23. How` ever, ,each ofthe pin wells v34 receives therein, first, acoil -spring42 usually fitting the well, and thereupontwo Vlocking pins 33 which, by

are normally thrust out above; the inner surface lof the door, but which,vwhen the steel plate 40 is attached, will press the said' pins down into the wells in position top'ermit the bolts -17 to be actu-' ated.

Y. The pins33 are arranged inthe Wellskin pairs, each 'pin having one pointed Vend 41 and the two pins seated inthe well in lopposing relation7 the pointed ends bei-ng `in conta-ct intermediate the ends of thewell. The pointev ed end 41 is so fashioned that it is well'adapt ed to hugthe groove of the boltwhenfthrust upward'by the spring. Y

The plate 40is normally attached Vto the inner face of the door by y screws 43 thereby Y pressing the pairs of locking pins 33- down into wells34, in which position the 1connecf tion between :the pins of each pair provides space to Vpermit 'the bolts v17 'to ube 'actuatedin .e'ither direction, the upward :thrust of the pin normally in contact with the Vcover 40 releasing the lower pin by the force 'of the spring 4,2, whereby the kpointed en d 41 will Vbe thrust into the groove 35Hof the bolt and lock itin position. No means is pro'- vided for releasing such lower pin fromfthe 'groove save the Vdownward thrust of the upper ypin with its vpoint 41y in -cont'a'c't with It will thus i evidentffthat'the release ofthe steel vcover 40 the point of the lower pin.

will lock all the'bolts 17.-

. -Opel'ationz lThev door 10 is mounted upOl its hinges in .position to it the opening in the wall. yThe bolts 17 arefitted in'ipo'sition in the door openings and suitably connected by.

the described links 32 with the actuating disc 23. The several springs and pins are tted in the described pin wells 34 after which the plate 40'is screwed down upon thecone locking the pins 33 in inoperative position relative to the bolts. v a turn of the handle 19 will thrust the bolts 17 upward into their wall socket, when a vturn of the combination shaft 26 will thrusty outward the lbolt 37 'and by contact with the pins 36, loc-k the disc 23 against rotation until the bolt 37 is withdrawn by operating the Acombination in the usual manner.

Itis well understood that a common means of safe breaking consists in drilling an openin'g through the door into the cavity 16,1in-

' serting dynamite into the cavity and blowing.

the'charge in .the hope that the shaft 18 will beoperative after the charge has been eX- ploded. Onthe contrary, such a charge will serveto remove the plate 40 and release the Pns.

The .release @i the pms '33. `ein 106k the bolts 17 as before explained, and the same explosive force 'that removes the plate 40 wilLalso blow. the several links -32 outof connection with the disev and bolts, since the pins 3 8 are readily removable from the openingV 39 andthe pins 31 fromthe openings 30.k

The removal 'of the plate 40 and links 32 therefore, destroys the connection of the bolts with the discand at the Sametime locks the boltsagainst withdrawal-- .The 1 plate 40` is made thin to make ready removal possible by an ordinary charge. lt is obviousy that `a number of variations may readily be madev inthis safe constructionwithout forfeiting any of the vadvantages of the invention. The door may be provided with fewer or a' of bolts and a corresponding number of links 32.. Such obvious variations are oontemplated fand are hereby made of record. Having thus fully described my said invention, what I 'claim las new and desire to.

secure ley-Letters Patent, is:

1. A burglar-proof safe including aldoor havingan inner socket and `looking bolts movable lengthwise for engaging 'the safe wall when the door 1s closed, each bolt having an `annular groove about it intermediate Yits ends, a rotatable actuating disc withinsaid socket and a crank shaft piercing said door and bearing said disc thereon in fixed relation, there 4being elongated members movable in said door adjacent the said grooves and normally A- pressed vinto .locking engagement with said grooves, detachable means for covering thesaidsocket and pressing said members out olfrengaigement with said. grooves, and detachable.-means forconnecting the bolts with the disc. Y Y i l 2. Al burglar-proof safe lincluding a door having an inner socket and `lock-ing bolts for engaging. the safe wallr whentheV door is Y Vhen the door is closed,

greater number s closed, the said bolts extending into the said socket, and each of them having an annular groove about it intermediate its ends, a rotatable actuating disc seated in said socket and a crank shaft piercing said door and carrying the said disc on its inner end, there being elongated members movable in said door adjacent the said grooves and normally pressed into locking engagement with said grooves yieldingly, detachable means for covering the said socket, and detachable links connecting the said disc with the several locking bolts, the said covering means serving to press the several members out of engagement with said grOoves and to normally prevent the links from being detached from the disc and bolts.

3. A burglar-proof safe including a door i having an inner socket and locking bolts movable in said door for engaging the safe wall when the door is closed and having their inner ends seated in said socket, a rotatable actuating disc seated in said socket and a crank shaft piercing said door and carrying the disc on its inner end, means for operatively connecting the several bolts with the disc, there being pin wells in said door adjacent the several bolts and locking pins seated in said wells, each bolt raving an annular groove about it intermediate its ends and positioned in the same transverse plane of the bolt with the said wells, when the bolts are in locking position, a coil yspring in each of said pin wells normally pressing one of the pins into locking position in the groove a of the bolt, and detachable means for covering the said socket and pressing the pins down in said wells against the force of the springs and out of engagement with said grooves.

4. A burglar-proof safe including a door having a locking bolt carried thereby and slidable therein for engaging the safe wall when the door is closed, the said door having means for actuating said bolt and provided with a rock shaftl whose rotation is operatively connected with-said actuating means, there being pin wells in said door adjacent the said bolt and locking pins seated in said wells, the said bolt being further provided with an annular groove about its peripheral surface intermediate its ends and positioned in the same transverse plane of the bolt with the said wells, when the bolts are in locking position in the safe wall, a coil spring in each of said pin wells normally pressing one of the pins into locking position in the groove of the bolt, and a thin metal plate mounted upon the inner face of said door and serving to normally press the pins down in said wells against the force of the springs and out of engagement with said groove, but which upon being fired by an explosive charge, will be torn from the door, releasing the said pins which will then be formed inwardly in said wells into locking engagement with said groove in the bolt.

5. A burglar-proof safe including a door having an inner socket and a locking bolt carried by said door adapted to engage the safe wall when the door is closed and entering the said socket when the safe is unlocked, a rotatable actuating disc Within the socket and a crank shaft piercing said door and carrying said disc on its inner end, an actuating link connecting the said bolt with the disc whereby the rotation of the disc will actuate the `bolt toward and from the safe wall, the said connection being readily detachable, there being pin wells in said door adjacent the bolt, and locking pins seated in said wells, the said bolt having an annular groove about it intermediate its ends positioned in the plane with said wells when the bolt is in locking position, the said pins having each one pointed end and there being two pins in each well and positioned therein with the pointed ends in contact, and spring means in each well beneath the pins to normally force the lower pins into locking position in said bolt groove, and a cover plate for the inner face of said door which when attached thereto holds the pins pressed down in said wells against the force of said springs in position released from said groove.

6. A burglar-proof safe including a door having a locking bolt carried thereby and slidable therein for engaging the safe wall when the door is closed, the said door having means for actuating said bolt, there being a pin well in said door adjacent the said bolt, and a locking p-in seated in said well, the said bolt being further provided with an annular groove about its peripheral surface intermediate its ends and adjacent the said well, when the bolt is yin locking position, a coil spring in said well normally pressing said pin into locking position in said groove, and a cover plate which when detachably attached to the inner face of said door, holds the pin down in said well against the said spring in inoperative position relative to the said groove.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of July, 1928.

ADON L. SMITH. 

